Bob James
WSALC President

TIME TO GET ACTIVE!

As the title of my article indicates, WSALC believes it is very important for letter carriers, working and retired, to get active and participate in our legislative process. At a minimum this means letter carriers must vote. We are urging letter carriers to help NALC friendly candidates get elected. Also, through our Committee on Letter Carrier Political Education (COLCPE) each of us needs to financially help at whatever amount you can afford and help get candidates we are in accord with elected. Washington State is committed, like the rest of the National Association of Letter Carriers, ensure that we have a Labor and Letter Carrier emphatic atmosphere in Washington, DC.

Washington State is almost a Vote By MAil (VBM) state. We believe that VBM would be good for us in a number of ways. One of these ways is that the revenue generated is good for our employer, the USPS.

Here are some important dates in Washingtn State for 2008.We have already had our Caucuses and Presidential Primary. Monday, June 2 is the start of the candidate filing week. Thursday, August 7 the Primary Ballots are mailed. Tuesday, August 19 is the Primary date for our state. Thursday, October 16 the General Election Ballots are mailed. Tuesday, November 4 is General Election Day.

Carrier Corps-WSALC is working on signing up members for Carrier Corps. This is the form Letter Carriers fill out and send to NALC in DC and volunteer to help get our political candidates elected. A NALC Carrier Corps shirt will be sent to you to wear while doing political work. You can contact me at 425 771 1444 and I will send you a form. Please leave your name, branch number or name and the address you want me to send it to.

State Convention-This will be held in Wenatchee this year on May 16,17 and 18. We have the Annual J O Shelton Memorial Golf Tournament on Thursday, May 15th. This golf tournament is a fundraisor for the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA). Community 1st Credit Union is a prime sponser helping us with our MDA efforts.

Organizing-WSALC has been having pizza events with the different branches. These organizing events are with all the letter carriers in various branches around the state. National Business Agent Paul Price attends to discuss the Contract and NALC efforts in the political arena. So far, we have had these events with Kent, Wenatchee, Vancouver and Olympia branches.

My new email is WSALCPREZ@gmail.com. This is so that I can pass this e-address onto the next WSALC President. Time to get active!

Fraternally, Bob James